Category: Library Thing

SPIT AND POLISH by D.A. Brown

March 5, 2024 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

Ruth was delighted when she was accepted into the nursing school at Kingston General Hospital. But she didn’t realize how challenging it would be. She quickly finds her skills aren’t up to snuff and is sent to build them up as an aide at the local tuberculosis sanitarium.
It’s 1946, and when Ruth arrives, she is immediately surrounded by crowds of wounded and infected soldiers, women, and children.
Ruth must find her way among the dying, depressed, and too-friendly patients, managing demanding doctors and a jealous mentor, without being sent home or infected. Can she impress her seniors and be readmitted to the nursing program she so wants?

Thanks to LibraryThing , author DA Brown, and Somewhat Grumpy Press for this advanced reviewer’s copy!

SPIT AND POLISH is a captivating historical fiction novel that transports readers to Canada in 1946, where aspiring nurse Ruth dreams of escaping her small-town life and making a difference. Accepted into Kingston General Hospital’s nursing school, her initial excitement crumbles as she struggles with the demanding coursework. Sent to gain experience at a local tuberculosis sanatorium, Ruth is confronted with the harsh realities of illness, death, and prejudice. Surrounded by wounded soldiers, desperate families, and a complex medical environment, she must navigate challenges while honing her skills. Ruth needs to find her strength, compassion, and the resilience to succeed.

The sanatorium, teeming with wounded soldiers and civilians battling the debilitating disease, paints a stark picture of the era’s healthcare realities. The facility fairly overflows with wounded soldiers, women, and children battling the debilitating disease. Ruth grapples with the emotional and physical demands of caring for, and witnessing firsthand, the suffering and resilience of her patients. Ruth must also navigate navigate dormitory life, avoid flirting soldiers, and handle the draining emotional complexities of her family back home. The author skillfully portrays the harsh realities of the medical setting, balancing it with moments of tenderness and compassion. It is easy to empathize with Ruth’s internal struggles as she confronts her own limitations and prejudices. Her journey is one of personal and professional development, and it is satisfying to see her initial naiveté transform into empathy, strength, and self-assuredness as she faces challenges head-on.

Brown immerses the reader in the post-war atmosphere of Canada, capturing the social anxieties, medical advancements (and limitations), and evolving societal roles of women. The struggles of returning soldiers and the stigma surrounding tuberculosis are woven seamlessly into the narrative.

Ruth’s growth is relatable and engaging, and the supporting cast, from other nursing students to her domineering father, adds depth and nuance. The initial chapters do move a bit slowly as the setting and characters are established. I would have liked to see some of the secondary characters (such as Patricia, Mrs. Graham, and Mary) fleshed out some more. This information might have given some more backstory and understanding of their behavioral quirks and motivation.

One thing that was a bit jarring to me were the short paragraphs of medical notes that began each chapter. One was a quote from 1947, quite a few were from Florence Nightingale’s NOTES ON NURSING, and there was one from 2018 quite early on in the book. While I appreciated the “insider information”, I spent a few minutes trying to figure out if the quote was supposed to reflect the tone of the chapter or not. Some were relevant, while others seemed random to me. I did like the idea of headers to each chapter, but I think they would work a lot better if the words tied in with each chapter’s vignette. Another option would be to let the reader know that the paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter are taken from either various authors who are sharing their thoughts on nursing, or excerpts from textbooks that will give the reader background on how TB was treated back then, etc. That would set an expectation for the reader, allowing them to absorb the information, then move seamlessly into the storyline.

SPIT AND POLISH offers a captivating journey through a unique historical setting. Brown’s well-researched narrative sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of mid-century healthcare, while Ruth’s personal growth resonates with themes of ambition and compassion. The novel delves into the emotional toll of caring for the sick and dying, yet the harsh realities of the sanatorium are balanced with moments of tenderness and hope, creating a nuanced portrayal of human resilience. Throughout the book, the importance of human connection in the face of adversity is underscored – a lesson we can all learn from in today’s world.

Readers interested in historical fiction with strong female protagonists and a touch of medical drama will find this book satisfying. One caveat: be aware of the potential for emotional intensity due to the setting and subject matter.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.

SEVERED ROOTS by Nego Huzcotoq

September 26, 2023 / Kyle Wendy Skultety / 0 Comments

IT’S A WORLD RULED BY WOMEN. MEN ARE ALL BUT EXTRANEOUS AND VIOLENT CRIME IS ALMOST ERADICATED. WHAT COULD BE BETTER?

Severed Roots (recipient of Literary Titan Gold Book Award) depicts a future where family, long considered a patriarchal construct, has finally been outlawed. Children are birthed by select female “manufacturers” and raised in Children’s Centers, where girls are groomed for leadership and boys are taught subservience. Male adolescents willingly receive mandatory chemical injections to prevent sexual hunger–although some opt for gender reassignment surgery instead, which is laudable. The goal? To prevent all forms of patriarchy and usher in an unprecedented age of world peace.

The result? A world ruled by women, where men are all but extraneous and violent crime is almost eradicated. However, not everyone buys into this New World Order. This is a domain of rallies, revolts, and self-immolation by women who suffer from being denied a chance at motherhood. In the middle of the action is Nick Wong, a gentle, rule-following Canadian whose inquisitiveness and desire to do the right thing spur him on a perilous quest for Truth –about marriage, family, and the need to connect with who we are.

Thanks to Library Thing and the author for this advance reviewer’s copy!

SEVERED ROOTS is a dystopian novel by Nego Huzcotoq that explores the themes of gender, power, and family in a matriarchal society where women have taken control. The story is set in a future where men have been stripped of their power and are now considered second-class citizens. The government, known as the New World Order, has outlawed the concept of family, and children are now raised in government-run facilities. Men are given a choice of either taking a chemical injection that will suppress their sexual urges or undergoing gender reassignment surgery.

The protagonist of the story is naïve and sheltered Nick Wong, a 30-something gig musician who is struggling to come to terms with the new world order. He has never known a world without the New World Order, and he is initially hesitant to question its authority. He is not comfortable with the way men are treated, but he also doesn’t believe in the extremist views of the Hardinians, a group of men who are fighting to overthrow the New World Order. He is drawn to a group of rebels known as the Progressives, who believe in the importance of family and equality for all.

Nick also befriends Beatrice, a woman who is desperate to have her own child. She asks Nick to help her find a way to Island House, a safe haven for women who want to raise their children outside of the New World Order. Nick agrees to help Beatrice, and along the way, he learns more about the dark secrets of the New World Order. He also begins to question his own beliefs about gender, family, and power.

In the world of SEVERED ROOTS, the traditional family unit has been disbanded. Children are raised by the state, and men are not allowed to have any contact with their offspring. This raises some interesting questions about the nature of family and the importance of biological ties.

The author spends a good deal of time describing how family is essential to human connection and well-being. Even in a world where family is outlawed, people still crave the love and support of a family unit. This serves as a reminder that family is more than just a biological relationship – it is a bond of love and support that can help us to survive even in the most difficult of times.

The world-building is mostly believable. Huzcotoq does a respectable job of creating a dystopian society that feels both familiar and alien. The book is full of interesting details about the New World Order, such as the way it controls the population through chemical injections and propaganda. However, I would have loved to see more background on how the world came to be this way. Did society become that way suddenly, due to an occurrence of war or a nuclear disaster? Or was it a slowly moving development, due to an illness caused by men that killed most of their population? Did women rise to power in government and caused the pendulum to swing their way? As you can see, there could be so many reasons for this dystopian world.

I will say that this novel does a decent job of exploring the diverse ways in which a matriarchal society could function. Huzcotoq presents a variety of perspectives on the issue, from the radical views of the Hardinians to the more moderate views of the Progressives. This allows the reader to see the issue from all sides and to come to their own conclusions about what a matriarchal society would look like.

Some things I liked about SEVERED ROOTS:

The themes of gender equality, violence, and family are thought-provoking and relevant to our own world.
The novel does not shy away from showing the dark side of both the matriarchal and patriarchal societies, and the consequences of their extremes. The novel also raises some interesting questions about the nature of human connection and the role of family in society.
The plot is an excellent manifestation of a dystopian world. There are elements of George Orwell’s 1984, Aldous Huxley’s BRAVE NEW WORLD, and Anthony Burgess’ THE WANTING SEED. These are three of my favorite books, and I was happy to feel reminded of them as I got through the book.

Some things I did not like:

The pacing of the book is a bit slow at times. The first half of the book is mostly setup, and it takes a while for the plot to really get going.
The ending of the book is a bit anticlimactic. I was expecting a more satisfying conclusion to the story, and I felt there were many questions left unanswered. (That being said, I believe the author is working on a sequel, in which case the ending could be forgiven.)
The novel relies heavily on stereotypes and generalizations about men and women and seems to favor a conservative and traditional view of family and marriage, without considering other forms of relationships and lifestyles.

SEVERED ROOTS is ultimately a story about hope. Despite the challenges that Nick and Beatrice face, they never give up on their dream of creating a better world. They believe that it is possible to find a balance between the old world and the new, and they are determined to fight for a future where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.

Overall, this book is a thought-provoking novel that is sure to spark a conversation about the nature of gender, power, and violence. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys dystopian fiction or who is interested in exploring the future of gender relations.

Want your own copy? You can pick it up here.